Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Wednesday Items

Kentucky: I know I've asked this before, but does Mitch McConnell associate with anybody who hasn't been convicted of some crime? First, McConnell himself carries with him significant ethical controversies. Then, McConnell cozies up to scandal-plagued Ernie Fletcher. Then, McConnell makes a convicted sexual harrasser the star of his campaign ads. And now, McConnell is taking big fat $1,000 checks from a disgraced businessman, Bob Asher, convicted of bribery with the intent to buy off government contracts. Will Mitch return the $1,000 contribution of convicted briber Bob Asher? Call his office at 202-224-2541 and ask. It might just be one contribution, but it's also the latest in a long line of instances in which Mitch McConnell demonstrates that respect for the law is no obstacle to winning respect from McConnell.

Mississippi: A new netroots effort to generate enthusiasm for a Senate campaign for former Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore has begun, WeWantMikeMoore.com. Also, more Democrats' names, in addition to Moore and former Governor Ronnie Musgrove, are being bandied about as possible Senate candidates, including former Congressman Mike Espy, State Representative Erik Fleming and former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson.

I think the GOP will keep both Sen. seats in ol' Miss. However, I am a firm believer in the 50 state strategy: Senate races are expensive even in "safe" states. Strong Dem. candidates will force the GOP to spend money in Miss. that they need to defend Norm Coleman in MN, Susan Collins in ME, and John Sununu in NH! And, there is always the chance at surprising upsets.

Those chances will go up if the Dem. presidential nominee is Obama or Edwards or anyone but Clinton. The new Zogby poll shows her behind 5 different GOP candidates in a general election! C'mon, Dems! Do we really want to blow our best chance for taking the presidency and increasing our dominance in House and Senate by nominating the one Democrat who unites the GOP faithful--like none of their own candidates do? Obama or Edwards would be SOO much more electable (and better for ending the war!) and would help these Senate fights in a way that Hillary never will.

We should recruit Mike Espy to challenge Thad Cochran- the Other US Senator from MS. Cochran will win re-election but Espy is a credible challenger and Espy can increase the black turnout. We recruit Mike Moore to run for the Lott Seat.

I couldn't agree more Neal, and maybe a grassroots effort to draft Espy should be in the works. How bout it guru?? As for Wymoing, I think another draft effort should be uner taken there. Former Governor Sullivan and State Senator Mike Massie seems ripe for the drafting in another state where I would love to force the Republicans to spend money. with Trauner running in the house, it would make for a good comibnation of Dems where wer ususally don't see many. Freudenthal would be the best candidate but we need him as the governor.

That has got to be one of the most offensive and blatantly racist election strategies that I've read. Recruit a Democratic African-American candidate to run and lose against Cochran, but turn out the black vote enough to help the other white Democratic candidate win the open seat. Who came up with that one, Robert Byrd? Just run Espy for the open seat, he could actually win it.

"That has got to be one of the most offensive and blatantly racist election strategies that I've read. Recruit a Democratic African-American candidate to run and lose against Cochran, but turn out the black vote enough to help the other white Democratic candidate win the open seat."

I can take you back to 2006 with a little editing.

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GOP, regarding MD 06 Senate Race

"(This) has got to be one of the most (effective) and (best) election strategies that I've read. Recruit a (Republican) African-American candidate to run (Michael Steele) and (edit) turn out the black vote enough to help the (edit) white Democratic candidate (Ben Cardin) (lose) the open seat."

My point is that the GOP has played the race card in statewide elections, trying to use the candidates race to chip away at the Democratic candidates, as recently as 2006. (Remember Ken Blackwell, Michael Steele, and Lynn Swann?)

While I don't agree with that strategy, nor find in terribly successful, (All three GOP candidates mentioned lost their respective races.) I'm just acknowledging that it is not a new way of thinking, in fact, it is a GOP way of thinking (Which alone should tell you it's not a good idea.) So don't try to stir up controversy with accusations of racism, this game has been played before.

Those African-American GOP candidates were run with the intention of winning the seat for themselves, NOT to elect another white Republican or Democrat. The suggestion here by Democrats is to run an African-American Democratic candidate for one seat to knowingly lose, but get enough votes out to elect a white Democrat to the other seat, instead of just running the African-American for that other seat. The difference is obvious and the suggested Dem strategy is offensive and racist.

Let's see how folks ponder Pickering's assertion that he's retiring so he can spend more time with his kids. So, his kids are more important than a House seat but not as important as a Senate seat. Seriously?!

Spare us your sanctimonious lamentations. Does neal singlehandedly represent the entire Democratic Party establishment? Yes, *his* plan faintly smacks of racism (or at minimum, an expedient disregard for racial sensitivities). But that is *his* strategy, not the "Dem" strategy. Can Republican partisans not distinguish between group and individual?

Lest we forget, you support a party whose most successful electoral strategy of the past half-century, the so-called Southern Strategy, involved a blatant appeal to the racial hate and prejudice of white Southerners. And whose populist conservative wing continues to pander to racially tinged anti-immigrant sentiment to obstruct progressive legislation which would benefit a majority of Americans. And with each passing election cycle, invariably uses some racially or culturally charged code word - in television ads, in push polls, and in robocalls - to get out the vote.

So when Neal replaces Chuck Schumer as DSCC Chair, and divisive racist politics become a hallmark of Democratic campaigns, maybe you'd have a point. Until then, please remove head from sphincter, then type.

Spare us your sanctimonious lamentations. Does neal singlehandedly represent the entire Democratic Party establishment? Yes, *his* plan faintly smacks of racism (or at minimum, an expedient disregard for racial sensitivities). But that is *his* strategy, not the "Dem" strategy. Can Republican partisans not distinguish between group and individual?

Jak-

Since the 1960 Civil Rights Act- How many Blacks won Statewide Office in Mississippi? Answer that question then call me a racist you pinko douchebag-

I was mentioning that Thad Cochran is strongly favored to win re-election- who ever challenges him loses. I'd rather have a strong Black candidate run a strong challenge against Cochran get 40%then a Zell Miller type Democrat run against Cochran and get 30%.

Neal, your childish name-calling of other users is what got you banned from SSP. Are you trying to become the leprous pariah of the liberal blogosphere, or does it just always work out that way?

Please show me where I accused you of being a racist, or even of harboring racist tendencies. All I said was that exploiting Mike Espy as a sacrificial lamb against Thad Cochran for the sole purpose of driving out the black vote to get Mike Moore over the hump against a weaker opponent could be construed as racist. Such a strategy reeks of political manipulation and calculation, and would suggest that white Democrats only value blacks for their votes and are not interested in seeking genuine representation for them.

I'm not disputing that Espy is a weaker statewide candidate than Moore. I'm not disputing that Mississippi has a miserable record of electing blacks to statewide office. And I'm not disputing that your strategy would probably achieve the optimal electoral outcome for Democrats (unless Musgrove were to run for the Cochran seat, assuming he plays better statewide than Espy, which is unclear). I would be delighted if Espy ran, but I wouldn't give him much of a shot at beating Cochran either. But that's all beside the point.

The loathsome Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita was rightly condemned for deploring what he characterized as blacks' "slavish devotion" to the Democrats. I can appreciate your amoral pragmatism, Neal, but let's not give Todd Rokita and the other right-wingers cause for questioning Democratic motives with respect to the African-American community.